Loud concerts

Sometimes cities, states and even institutions of higher learning will have events that don't sit well with their neighbors.

Each October, residents along the St. George Marathon route express concerns over the way major streets are blocked for the event. The same thing happens in May with the Ironman event.

The Dixie Roundup Rodeo each September also draws some angst because of the closure of 400 East, the smell from the livestock and noise.

The latest example comes from the recent Macklemore concert in Hansen Stadium on the Dixie State University campus. Some neighbors didn't take kindly to the noise late in the evening and the use of the infamous "F-word" by the up-and-coming artist. The concert was performed outside because the ticket sales exceeded the Burns Arena's capacity.

While it's true the use of expletives is objectionable in almost any setting - and for good reason - it's also true that a university has to provide some semblance of an active campus life to recruit and retain students, the very lifeblood of any institution.

Recruiting Macklemore was a boon for the university. Signed to do the concert before he became a radio sensation, Dixie State hit the jackpot with this event. It brought in about $100,000 in revenue, resulting in about $26,000 in profits for the student association, which will use that money to fund other entertainment opportunities for students. One possibility is luring the TV network MTV-U to campus.

The reality everyone must face as Dixie grows as a university is that these kinds of events not only are beneficial financially but are going to be expected by future students. And the argument that these kinds of events will hurt Dixie's reputation by making it even more widely known as a "party school" is absurd. The real definition of such a school involves alcohol and other far-more-dangerous activities. That didn't happen at this concert and isn't happening with regularity on campus.

But events such as this do draw in young people who might like what they see at Dixie as a result of these events and decide to go to school there. That brings money into the university and helps build the base of future alumni.

It is regrettable that the "F-word" was used so often, particularly toward the end of hte concert. The best solution likely is to have certain penalties written into the contract that allows the university to benefit even more financially if the artist chooses to use such objectionable language.

But the noise - on such rare occasions - is probably a small price to pay for the benefit these kinds of events provide to the university.

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Loud concerts

Sometimes cities, states and even institutions of higher learning will have events that don't sit well with their neighbors.